Paint can holder



March 17,1964 s. B. LAW

PAINT CAN HOLDER Filed March 2, 1962 INVENTOR. irA/vzfr 5. ZAW

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,125,317 PAINT CAN HOLDER Stanley B. Law, RED. 4, Bucyrus, Ohio Filed Mar. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 176,980 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-210) This invention relates to a paint can holder and has as its primary object the provision of a holder or support which will retain a can of paint or the like in vertical position secured to the rail of the ladder, preferably on the exterior side of the rail in such manner as to position the can in the most accessible position to the painter.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a holder of this sort which, when once adjusted to a particular step or straight ladder, or to a scaffolding or the like, requires no further adjustment at any time.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be reversed so that the same device may be used on either the right or left side of the ladder.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this character which may be readily adjusted to a wide variety of sizes and shapes of ladder rails or scaffolding.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character provided with a resilient spring member of semi-circular configuration and pro vided on its ends with pins, the pins normally engaging in the bail holes or openings in the side of a standard paint can.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one form of can holder embodying the instant inventive concept shown as affixed to the rail of a ladder, certain concealed portions being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, the latter rail and paint can being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, the device of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10, and is shown in FIGURE 1 as supporting a can C of paint or similar material on the rail R of a ladder L. The holder comprises an L-shaped plate 11, which is provided with a pair of aligned openings or bores 12 for the reception of elongated screw threaded bolts 13 having heads 14. The bolts are located in substantial parallelism with and closely adjacent to one leg 15 of L-shaped plate 11, the other leg being indicated at 16.

3,125,317. Patented Mar. 17, 1964 A second plate 17, which is preferably of generally rectangular configuration, is provided with holes or bores 18 in alignment with the bores 12 for reception of the ends of bolts 13, the bolts 13 having positioned thereon three lock nuts, the first of which, 19, clampingly engages the head of the bolt with the leg 16 of plate 11, and the other two of which, 20 and 21, are positioned on opposite sides of the plate 17, in order that the same may be clamped in suitably spaced relation to the leg 16 of plate 11.

Strip 24 is provided at its opposite ends with inwardly extending confronting pins 25, which are fixedly secured thereto, in any desired manner, as by welding, and which are adapted to engage in the bail openings B of can C after removal of the bail therefrom. Strip 24 which is a semi-circular resilient steel strip, is welded as at 22 to leg 16 of L-shaped plate 11 at a point substantially centrally thereof and equidistantly positioned to the openings 18. The resiliency of the member 24 causes the pins to be retained securely in position when supporting the can C.

Obviously, by suitable adjustment of the locking nuts 19, 20, and 21, the plate 17 may be spaced from the portion 16 of L-shaped plate 11 a suitable distance to clamp the same about any desired width or thickness of ladder rail or scaffolding. When it is desired to shift the can from the right to the left side of the ladder or the like, it will be readily apparent that the holder may be inverted, and the device positioned on the opposite rail of the ladder, the strip 24 always being to the rear of the can C. It is to be noted that strip 24 may be used as a handle for can C when the holder is removed from its associated ladder or scaffolding, pins 25 permitting the can to swing as with a normal handle.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved can holder which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A can support comprising, in combination, a first clamping plate, a semi-circular flat resilient band having one end welded securely to said plate, the other end being free, smooth surfaced pins adapted to engage in the bail openings of a can extending inwardly in diametrically opposite relation from the welded and free ends of said semi-circular band, a second clamping plate, said first and second clamping plates having aligned bores therein, bolts extending through the aligned openings in said clamping plates, and lock nuts on said bolts for securing said clamping plates a predetermined distance apart, and adapted to clamp said first and second plates on opposite sides of a supporting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

